


Drenched

by Donovanspen



Series: Whumptober 2019 [27]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternative prompt: waterlogged, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Alec Lightwood, M/M, Near Drowning, Protective Jace Wayland, Protective Magnus Bane, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22028374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donovanspen/pseuds/Donovanspen
Summary: Being almost drowned by a water demon is never fun.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Whumptober 2019 [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1503425
Comments: 18
Kudos: 331





	Drenched

Alec gripped at the tentacle encircling his throat and tried to pull free, but it was no use. He had activated his runes hours ago, but he was starting to feel their effects wearing off. They had not been expecting such a prolonged battle. They had tracked down the warlocks who had been conducting summonings all over the city and had ended up along the beach at Croton Point. His team had been on land fighting until Alec had been hit with a magic blast that threw him backwards into the surf. He hit the ground hard and had been still dazed when a tentacle had wrapped around his ankle and dragged him into the waves. 

He had managed to break to the surface a few times, but his body was slowly losing the energy to keep fighting. His team had all branched out over the beach, and he didn’t know if anyone had noticed he was gone, or if Jace could even feel his distress.

He kicked out in the direction of the demon’s body, hoping to make contact, but the demon was thrashing him about and making it difficult for him to orient himself. He tried again to pull his knees up to his chest to try to reach the dagger he hoped was still inside his boot. Every previous attempt he made to get it had resulted in the demon flinging him about, making it impossible to retrieve. His lungs were burning, and he was starting to feel lightheaded. His body was screaming for him to take a breath, but he kept fighting the instinct to do so. Drawing his legs up as quickly as he could, he grabbed his boot and held on with one hand as the demon began to thrash him around again. With his free hand, Alec retrieved his dagger. He immediately began slashing at the tentacle around his neck. The demon increased its efforts to drown him, but Alec clung to the dagger and took another swipe. The moment he felt a slight relaxation in the suction, Alec renewed his efforts, stabbing and slashing as hard and as quickly as he could. He managed to break free and kicked towards the surface with as much force as he could and sucked in a huge gasping breath the second his head was above water.

He glanced around and was dismayed to see how far out the demon had dragged him. He began to swim towards the shoreline and hoped that he had injured the demon enough to get a head start. His movements were slow and choppy, and he didn’t see his family, but he pressed on. He made it a couple of yards before he felt something grip his ankle. He managed to suck in a lung full of air before he was whipped back underwater. He curled forward and stabbed at the tentacle gripping his ankle. When it released him, he swung in a wide arc at the other tentacles reaching for him. He was soon overpowered with tentacles wrapping around his neck and his chest and binding his arms to his side. He struggled to break free but could feel himself losing strength. It wasn’t long before the dizziness set in, and darkness swallowed him.

Consciousness returned with a painful tightening in his stomach and pressure in his throat. He felt himself being rolled over as his body spasmed and heaved as he began retching up sea water. He could feel hands on him holding him steady, and he could hear voices, but he was still too disoriented to make out what was being said. His mind vaguely registered the hard ground underneath him as pain shot through his body with each heaving breath.

He finally stopped vomiting, but he was still shaking. He felt hands guiding him onto his back.

“Easy. That’s it.”

His eyes focused on Jace hovering above him. His parabatai was also wet and his eyes were fixed on him as if willing strength into him.

“Bye the angel, Alec, I thought I was gonna lose you.”

Alec opened his mouth and tried to speak but could only make a garbled sound. His throat and chest burned, and when he tried to take a breath, he ended up in another coughing fit.

“Easy.” Jace helped him a sitting position and held him until the coughing subsided. “Don’t try to talk.”

“Izzy?” he rasped. He ignored Jace’s instruction and tried to get up and look around.

Jace sighed and tried to place a restraining hand on him. “She’s working on getting us back to the Institute.”

Once he knew that both Izzy and Jace were all right, Alec felt fatigue crash over him. He slumped back against Jace and closed his eyes.

The next time he woke, he was in the Institute’s infirmary. He still felt as if he’d just been pulled from the water. He was under a thermal blanket, but he was still cold. His eyes were burning, and his chest was tight and painful. He looked to the side and saw Magnus sitting next to his bed.

“Hey,” he whispered.

Magnus opened his eyes and smiled. He leaned forward and reached out and placed his hand in Alec’s. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Better now that I’m seeing you.” His throat was still sore, and his voice came out dry and hoarse.

“Are you really trying to flirt with me?” Magnus’s voice was warm. “You are incorrigible.”

Alec smiled and shifted. He tried to sit up, but the pain in his chest had him collapsing back against the mattress.

“Take it easy,” Magnus admonished. “You’re still healing.”

“Why do I feel so bad?”

“The venom,” Magnus replied. “It was most likely on the suckers on the tentacles, and it seeped into your skin. You still have some marks around your neck that are taking longer to heal.”

“How long?”

“Probably another day or so. They’re talking about releasing you tomorrow if you sleep well through the night.”

Alec had so many questions, but he was too tired to ask. He pulled at his blanket, trying to cover more of his chest.

“Cold?” Magnus asked. At Alec’s nod, Magnus grabbed another blanket from the foot of the bed and spread it over Alec. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. It was horrifying to get a call that you had almost been drowned by a water demon.”

“Not your fault.”

“Hush now.” Magnus pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Try to rest, and I’ll be here when you wake.”

“Lie with me?”

Magnus hesitated as he glanced around the small room. “I’m afraid the bed is too small for both of us to fit, but I’ll sit right here.”

“Promise?” he whispered as his eyes slipped closed.

“Promise.”


End file.
